The Press: Midwest Social Notes

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As society editor of the Chicago Daily News (circ. 591,341), bouncy Athlyn Deshais goes far beyond the job of reporting weddings and charity benefits, stretches society reporting to cover everything from running a "society queen" contest (TIME, Jan. 18, 1954) to writing features on the availability of bachelors. Last week she had her readers stirred up with a new slant on society.

Wrote Editor Deshais: "Some of the society women of Chicago are drinking themselves silly. 'Round the clock they go, lapping it up from high noon till they reach another high at midnight. By their own admission some of them are consuming from twelve to 20 ounces a day ... I love society and I don't like to think there are any lady lushes in society. [But] some women who lead brisk social lives can consume . . . nearly a gallon a week."

Why do socialites drink so heavily? "In the first place," Editor Deshais wrote, "most every woman who considers herself a part of the social swim lunches at clubs or restaurants four or five days a week. Part of the pattern is to have a little something—or two or three little somethings—on the rocks before the fruit cup is brought on. This could mean an intake of from one to five ounces.

Come cocktail time and she's a little fatigued from the earlier intake. So she takes several pick-me-ups." The worst offenders, she added, are dinner-party hostesses. "The overly hospitable—and, we hate to say it—many of the newly rich—instruct their servants to serve hard liquor with every course." As Editor Deshais hoped, bluebloods kicked up a rumpus over her picture of them as boozebloods. Commented clubwoman Mrs. Earl Kribben, whose husband is a Marshall Field vice president: "Drinking Scotch or bourbon with the main course would be like going to a dinner party in your bathing suit. Some of your statistics sound so frantic. You must be talking about people I just don't know." But Socialite Ronald Boardman, vice president of the City National Bank & Trust Co., gave some support to Editor Deshais. Said he: "The success of a party depends on the bartender. No question about that."